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A Walker in L.A.: Block it Out

Last weekend I helped organize a holiday walkabout in my neighborhood. It was a kind of progressive dinner for neighbors and friends that wandered from house to house. We stopped at five homes over the course of an afternoon, and partook of an activity like tasting mulled wine, cooking sidewalk pancakes, and making snow-globes at each one. Between stops we danced, cheered, and, yes, caroled on a corner. It’s amazing how walking even a short distance and peeking inside each other’s homes has already changed my relationship with my block. I feel connected to where I live in a way I didn’t before. Instead of just admiring the Christmas light displays while I’m walking around at night, I know the people and the stories behind them.I highly suggest organizing one of these events in your neighborhood—if not this season, perhaps for 4th of July?

Alissa Walker is a writer, a gelato eater, and a walker in L.A. She shares an experience from her adventures around town at CityThink each Wednesday. Follow her daily on Instagram at @awalkerinLA, on Twitter, or at her blog, and use the hashtag #betteroffped to share your own photographs of walking in L.A.